Dark money meets medieval thought in this intriguing exposé of American Catholicism and its rightist discontents.
A close-up study of the once-unlikely wedding of the Catholic right with hardcore Protestant advocates of small government and White supremacy.
The Catholic vote is important, writes journalist McConahay, author of The Tango War: 75% turned out in 2016, “and since 1952, their vote usually goes to the winning presidential candidate.” In 2016, that meant Trump, who, for all his irreligious behavior, commanded the allegiance of a large number of American priests and bishops—and not solely because of the abortion issue. The rightward turn, which, the author notes, puts many members of the American Catholic hierarchy against the views of the current pope, dates back to the Reagan era, when Catholic activist Paul Weyrich forged an alliance with the evangelical right, with Jerry Falwell’s so-called Moral Majority (a term coined by Weyrich) leading the charge to pull down the wall separating church and state. In another unholy alliance, right-wing Catholics also made common cause with the Koch brothers, who, though professing no objections to same-sex marriage or abortion, shared their hatred for government intervention in business and social issues. McConahay examines the Catholic connection with such prominent right-wing actors as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his Trump-adherent wife, a Catholic convert, along with forerunners such as Phyllis Schlafly and Richard Viguerie. Ironies abound, not least Catholic support for Trump against fellow religionist Joseph Biden and the widespread episcopal rejection of science to resist vaccinations and climate change programs, to say nothing of their dismissal of the notion that women can ever serve as priests or deacons. In this searching yet occasionally heavy-handed investigation, McConahay concludes—as have many before her—that the trajectory of the American Catholic Church may one day lead to a schism with Rome—backed, of course, by White nationalist dollars.
Dark money meets medieval thought in this intriguing exposé of American Catholicism and its rightist discontents.Pub Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 9781685890285
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Melville House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A short, smart analysis of perhaps the most famous passage in American history reveals its potency and unfulfilled promise.
Words that made a nation.
Isaacson is known for expansive biographies of great thinkers (and Elon Musk), but here he pens a succinct, stimulating commentary on the Founding Fathers’ ode to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” His close reading of the Declaration of Independence’s second sentence, published to mark the 250th anniversary of the document’s adoption, doesn’t downplay its “moral contradiction.” Thomas Jefferson enslaved hundreds of people yet called slavery “a cruel war against human nature” in his first draft of the Declaration. All but 15 of the document’s 56 signers owned enslaved people. While the sentence in question asserted “all men are created equal” and possess “unalienable rights,” the Founders “consciously and intentionally” excluded women, Native Americans, and enslaved people. And yet the sentence is powerful, Isaacson writes, because it names a young nation’s “aspirations.” He mounts a solid defense of what ought to be shared goals, among them economic fairness, “moral compassion,” and a willingness to compromise. “Democracy depends on this,” he writes. Isaacson is excellent when explaining how Enlightenment intellectuals abroad influenced the founders. Benjamin Franklin, one of the Declaration’s “five-person drafting committee,” stayed in David Hume’s home for a month in the early 1770s, “discussing ideas of natural rights” with the Scottish philosopher. Also strong is Isaacson’s discussion of the “edits and tweaks” made to Jefferson’s draft. As recommended by Franklin and others, the changes were substantial, leaving Jefferson “distraught.” Franklin, who emerges as the book’s hero, helped establish municipal services, founded a library, and encouraged religious diversity—the kind of civic-mindedness that we could use more of today, Isaacson reminds us.
A short, smart analysis of perhaps the most famous passage in American history reveals its potency and unfulfilled promise.Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781982181314
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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